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phlogiston
6 dictionary results for: phlogiston
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
phlo·gis·ton 
[floh-jis-ton, -tuhn] Pronunciation Key
[floh-jis-ton, -tuhn] Pronunciation Key –noun
| a nonexistent chemical that, prior to the discovery of oxygen, was thought to be released during combustion. |
[Origin: 1720–30; < NL: inflammability, n. use of Gk phlogistón, neut. of phlogistós inflammable, burnt up; see phlogistic]
]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| phlo·gis·ton
(flō-jĭs'tŏn', -tən) Pronunciation Key
n. A hypothetical substance formerly thought to be a volatile constituent of all combustible substances, released as flame in combustion. [From Greek, neuter of phlogistos, inflammable, from phlogizein, to set on fire, from phlox, phlog-, flame; see bhel-1 in Indo-European roots.] |
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
phlogiston
phlogiston
1730, "hypothetical inflammatory principle," formerly believed to exist in all combustible matter, from Mod.L. (1702), from Gk. phlogiston (1619 in this sense), neut. of phlogistos "burnt up, inflammable," from phlogizein "to set on fire, burn," from phlox (gen. phlogos) "flame, blaze" (see phlegm). Theory propounded by Stahl (1702), denied by Lavoisier (1775), defended by Priestley but generally abandoned by 1800.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
| phlogiston | |
noun | |
| a hypothetical substance once believed to be present in all combustible materials and to be released during burning |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| phlogiston
(flō-jĭs'tən) Pronunciation Key
A hypothetical colorless, odorless, weightless substance once believed to be the combustible part of all flammable substances and to be given off as flame during burning. In the 18th century, Antoine Lavoisier proved that phlogiston does not exist. See Note at Lavoisier. |
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Phlogiston
Phlo*gis"ton\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? burnt, set on fire, fr. ? to set on fire, to burn, fr. ?, ?, a flame, blaze. See Phlox.] (Old Chem.) The hypothetical principle of fire, or inflammability, regarded by Stahl as a chemical element. Note: This was supposed to be united with combustible (phlogisticated) bodies and to be separated from incombustible (dephlogisticated) bodies, the phenomena of flame and burning being the escape of phlogiston. Soot and sulphur were regarded as nearly pure phlogiston. The essential principle of this theory was, that combustion was a decomposition rather than the union and combination which it has since been shown to be.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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